Description
I Feel Love by Rachel Nuwer is a work of popular science that explores the controversial history and emerging therapeutic potential of MDMA, the drug better known as Ecstasy or Molly. Once widely condemned, MDMA has attracted renewed scientific interest for its possible role in mental health treatment, particularly in helping people process trauma.
Drawing on scientific research and reporting from laboratories, nightclubs and therapy rooms, Nuwer examines evidence suggesting that MDMA, when administered in carefully controlled therapeutic settings, may help ease the effects of trauma and support treatments for conditions such as depression and addiction. She also investigates how the drug affects the brain, why it can encourage feelings of empathy and self-compassion, and what researchers still need to understand about its risks and benefits. Along the way, she traces the cultural and scientific forces that have shaped MDMA’s reputation.
Clear-eyed about both the promise and the unanswered questions, I Feel Love offers an accessible look at the science of human connection and the search for new approaches to mental health.
